


Journey of an outlaw

by Afanfromminnesota



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alfred Pennyworth is the Best, Batfamily (DCU) Feels, Big Brother Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, But messes up, Dcik Grayson will be Nightwing, Dick Grayson is Robin, Dick Grayson is a Ray of Sunshine, Everyone will be Jasons older sibling, Jason Todd Has Issues, Jason will be robin, Other, Playing fast and lose with cannon and the timeline, Set Between Young Justice Season 1 and Season 2, The foster care system sucks, The pepole in his life will try to help, The young justice team will appear and adopt Jason., Won't end well, drug overdose mentioned, eventually, you know how this will end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:54:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25639843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Afanfromminnesota/pseuds/Afanfromminnesota
Summary: One night after patrol, Batman and Robin met a street urchin trying to steal the wheels of the batmobile. He will rock their world in ways they can never prepare themselves for.Or: My version of The story of Jason Todd in the young justice universe.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 44





	Journey of an outlaw

**Author's Note:**

> CW: A very brief mention of A drug overdose and the foster care system. 
> 
> Jason is 13, Dick is 16.
> 
> Characters belong to DC, not me.

Chapter One: Origins and first meetings 

Robin sat amongst the gargoyles on opposite sides of a street in Gotham with Batman on the other side of the street. It had been an uneventful night of patrol and performing a stakeout on the suspected headquarters of a suspected drug smuggling ring.  
There had been no sign of anything, with only the sounds of a city at night in spring surrounding the duo. The silence was broken by the clock of Gotham city hall tolling midnight. The hooded figure of Batman swung across on a grappling hook, landing next to Robin, who stood up.  
"Nothing!” Robin said, throwing out his arms in exasperation. “With all our research, you'd think we'd see something! We'll have to reassess the data, leave our cameras for surveillance, and come back on a night I don't have school in the morning."  
The caped man grunted in agreement and told his ward to gather his gear, leave a surveillance camera in a well-hidden spot, and head to the batmobile.

The teenager complied and a few minutes later, the teen swung through the air towards the Batmobile. He landed, Batman landing right next to him just a few seconds later. As he got closer, he heard the sound of something from the dark alley they had parked the batmobile in reach his ears. They came up quietly on the dark scene as Robin took something out of his belt and pressed a button, causing light to come pouring from the huge black armored vehicle.  
It was here that the caped crusaders got a look at their guest, who jumped and blinked as the light came on.

He was a teenaged boy, probably 13 or 14. His face was thin and grimy, his clothes dirty and torn, and he had dark matted hair poking out from the hood on his red sweatshirt. He was standing amongst the gear he had somehow acquired to perform his heist: stealing the wheels off the batmobile.  
"Hey kid," Batman said with a tone that must have surprised the boy, because he didn't run away or attack. "What’s that you got there?”  
The boy looked at the metal tool in his hand he had been using to loosen the tire’s lug nuts. "A crowbar," he said simply.  
"So, you thought you could steal the tiers of the batmobile?" Robin asked the kid. " "Yes," the boy replied curtly.  
Batman actually smiled at this and then said, "What's your name kid?"  
The boy hesitated and looked genuinely scared for the first time at this. "You... you won't return me to the home will you?"

Robin looked at Batman and put his hand on his mentor's shoulder, who nodded at his protege. Said boy gently got on the other's level.  
"Don't worry. We'll help you. We won't send you back to any home that's not safe. Bats here may be scary, but he set out to scare murders, extortionists, drug dealers, and even the occasional evil alien invaders. Not teenagers who need help."  
The boy hesitated again, but after a brief moment: "Jason.”  
The caped duo looked at one another, came to a silent agreement, and nodded.  
"Well Jason, we have another question for you," said Batman: "Hungry?" 

One unforgettable stop at a fast-food drive-thru in the batmobile latter, Jason was going to town on a hamburger. "So Jason," said Robin who was sitting next to Jason, "what possessed you to see the Batmobile and think: "Hey! I should steal its tires!"  
"I don't know," he said after swallowing, "Thought I could sell it and get cash for food." A Concerned look from Robin.  
"So, you ran away from, what, a group home?" Robin asked.  
Jason got quiet for a bit before answering.  
"Yeah, Dad’s in jail, Mom overdosed on drugs. Been in the system for a few months. Figured I was better off on the streets than getting tossed from home to home. I mean, it's not like people are jumping to take in a teenager with issues."  
Another moment of silence.  
It was Batman who broke the silence: "Well, Jason, I think I may know someone who would. I could even have you there tonight if certain people are ok with it."  
He said this last part subtly looking at Robin through the mirror inside the car, who nodded, which Batman knew to mean:  
This kid needs our help. I'm ok with that.

"Ok. Jason, let's get you home.” 

The list of events ran through Jason's head the next morning. Trying to steal the wheels off the batmobile and getting caught. Being brought to the manor of Bruce Wayne, being led to the room he had woken up in.  
It was simple but luxuriously decorated: a set of wooden furniture, the softest pillows, and blankets on the softest mattress. A high tech lighting system, an intricate rug, the electronic clock reading 9:30 in the morning. The simplicity of the decoration and Jason's life on the streets, in group homes and small apartments made the room feel larger than it probably was. 

He got out of bed, which had been a challenge as the bed had been the most comfortable place he had probably ever slept. A window had a place to sit built into the wall under it, and Jason sat there. He couldn't help feeling a bit out of place. Sure, he was grateful for the help and the place to sleep, but he was a street urchin. He didn't belong amongst this finery.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Yeah?" He called out, and in came the butler, who had led him to the room last night. “Good morning Master Todd, Sleep well?” “Yeah,” said Jason, “but please don't call me Master Todd.” The man just smiled. “Of course Jason, now, how about we get you some breakfast, a shower, and perhaps a tour."

And so, one breakfast, shower, and hair combing later, he was being shown around the mansion. He was told it’s history and areas that he was ‘strongly advised’ against going.

Much of the Manson was filled with old, antique furniture, but it was mostly decorated in the same modern, luxurious but minimalist style of the room Jason had slept in.  
Most of it just seemed a bit excessive, but he couldn't deny the Gameroom and the movie viewing room weren't awesome.  
He decided he liked the library the best. You maybe wouldn't know it by looking at him, but Jason loved reading. He hadn't had the chance to really read in a long time, and he immediately started browsing the selection.  
Bruce Wayne apparently liked mystery novels, sci-fi, and "classics." There were also books on every STEM field one could think of. Books about the ethics of business and money, History, philosophy, foreign language, culture, and criminal psychology. Lots of books about criminal psychology.

"Ah, a reader are you?" Alfred spoke, bringing Jason out from his examination of the collection  
"Yeah. Haven't had much luck getting time to read lately," he responded, looking at the rather magnificent collection of sci-fi novels, eyeing The Martian by Andy Weir  
"Well, I believe you may have time to read through the collection yet. In the meantime, I believe Master Bruce will be home early to take you to your…. previous living arrangements to sort out you living with us longterm. "  
Jason had expected that, but it was a nasty reminder that there would, of course, be paperwork to do.  
It also felt a bit weird to think about living here, or anywhere, longterm really. 

The last stop on the tour was the gym. It had the exercise equipment one would expect a rich guy to have; But also rings like the ones used in gymnastics and other equipment that seemed more fit for a Circus Acrobat, which he commented on verbally. "Indeed," Alfred said, smiling fondly, "Dick, Master Bruce's other ward, grew up in a traveling circus, He likes keeping up his acrobatic skills. Keeps his body sharp and keeps a connection to his parents and roots."  
He wondered what happened, but that was the business of his fellow ward. He hadn't met the guy, he had left for school in the morning while he was still asleep, but wondered if he would want anything to do with him. 

Alfred set about his butler duties, and Jason decided to head back to the library to read the book he had been eyeing earlier. He was getting to the point of the astronaut in the story gathering supplies to plant potatoes to enact his plan to survive on Mars when Bruce came in with a plate of sandwiches. 

"Hey," He said, sitting on the couch and setting the plate down on the coffee table. Jason set the book on the table and picked up the sandwich as Bruce made small talk. It was kinda nice to have someone to talk to while eating, even if it was a bit awkward. They discussed the tour, and the collection of books, including the one Jason was reading.  
The discussion inevitably led to talk of going to the group home to being the process of filing the necessary paperwork for him to live here, which was agreed would happen after they were done eating.

He was as good as his word, they finished eating, and went to the group home Jason had run from. Bruce managed to convince the staff to get the paperwork started, which took quite a while as they were not happy with Jason.  
That fact, along with Jason being able to check in with the few people at the home that had cared about him and picking up a few things he had left behind, was the only good part of that visit.  
He vowed that this would be the last time he would ever be in that cold, uncaring building.

That night was one of the best he had ever had, even though he still wasn't sure about Bruce.  
Sure, he had been nice enough to give Jason a chance. He had heard the earnest in his voice while arguing with the social workers, all about how Jason was a good kid and needed help. But what reason did he have to trust Bruce?  
But still, if Bruce was willing to give Him a chance, then perhaps Jason should give Bruce a chance. 

This decision was solidified when he had the best dinner of his life with Bruce and the other ward: Dick Grayson. Any fear he had about Dick not wanting anything to do with him was proved completely and utterly unfounded almost immediately.  
He gave him the same warm welcome that Alfred and Bruce had given him, and it was Dick who said at that dinner that tomorrow afternoon, he would take Jason out to get him clothes, other essentials, and maybe even see a movie. "Sounds fun," he said.

"So, I guess I'll be staying here for a while?" "As long as you want," Bruce said. "I mean, if stuff doesn't work out here, we'll personally help you find a place that dose, but I hope it won't come to that."  
Jason somehow and inexplicably found himself saying: "I hope so too."

**Author's Note:**

> Writing this made me re-watch "Under the Red Hood." 
> 
> Bonus points and virtual Alfred cookies to anyone who recognizes the book Jason is reading and is mentioned. 
> 
> A few notes about the timeline:  
> \- A bit of guesswork is required here in terms of the timeline of Dick becoming Nightwing and how long Jason was robin and so on. This is also being written before Season 4, so this may be contradicted by anything they might show. I will be offering my notes on the timeline in the ANs like this.  
> \- This story begins in the spring about 3 years after the team forms.


End file.
